Northern Peru Trip Report 4Th to 25Th September 2015
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Northern Peru Trip Report 4th to 25th September 2015 Pale-billed Antpitta by Rob Williams Trip Report compiled by Tour Leader: Rob Williams Introduction Northern Peru is one of the most special and biodiverse birding destinations on earth. From the Pacific Ocean one can travel east through desert, Tumbesian dry forest, across the western Andes and through the Marañon and Utcubamba valleys to the humid eastern Andes and edge of the Amazon basin. This journey passes through areas of unique habitats with many endemic bird species and our tour is designed to seek out a good selection of these endemics that can be found nowhere RBT Northern Peru Trip Report September 2015 2 else, along with wonderfully varied scenery and some fascinating cultural sites. We had a great tour, being fortunate with the weather, recording some 696 bird species (of which 648 were seen), including 37 Peruvian endemics. Notable families included a staggering 73 hummingbirds, 97 flycatchers, 89 tanagers and 15 owls! Top 10 birds of the tour (as voted by the participants) 1. Rufous-crested Coquette 2. Long-whiskered Owlet 3. Marvelous Spatuletail 4. Many-coloured Rush Tyrant 5. Wire-crested Thorntail 6. Elegant Crescentchest 7. Lulu’s Tody-Tyrant 8. Yellow-billed Tit-Tyrant 9. Ferruginous Pygmy Owl 10. Paradise Tanager Daily Journal Day 1: Chiclayo, coastal birding and to Chaparri. The tour started at Chiclayo airport, with some arriving from Lima and others who had arrived in Chiclayo a few days earlier to enjoy the archaeological sites of the region. We headed straight to the wetlands near the village of Eten and were soon enjoying great looks at Many-coloured Rush Tyrant, Wren-like Rushbird and a good variety of waders, including a single Hudsonian Godwit, and other waterbirds. The beach held a variety of waders, whilst offshore Peruvian Pelicans and Peruvian Boobies reminded us that we were birding the shore of the richest marine ecosystem on earth – the Humboldt Current. A single Brown Pelican and a few Blue-footed Boobies were indicative that warmer tropical waters are found just slightly further north. The desert habitats here gave us good looks at the endemic Coastal Miner and the peculiar Least Seedsnipe. We then headed inland to the Chaparri Reserve, stopping en route at a colony of Chestnut-collared Swallows and for two Savanna Hawks attracted to a burning sugarcane field. After lunch in Chaparri we soon started catching up with some of the commoner Tumbesian region endemics including Collared Antshrike, Baird’s Flycatcher, Grey-and-white Tyrannulet and Short-tailed Woodstar. The afternoon walk added the delightful Tumbes Tyrant, Tumbes Hummingbird and the critically endangered endemic White-winged Guan – this reserve now supports over 25% of the world population of this bird, which was considered extinct for over a century until it was rediscovered in 1977. Day 2: Chaparri We started the morning watching five species of hummingbird: Purple-collared Woodstar, Amazilia and Tumbes Hummingbirds, Peruvian Sheartail and Long-tailed Starthroat at the stream by the lodge; the Tumbes Hummingbird and Purple-collared Woodstar bathing in the waterfall. We then headed down the entrance road catching up with Red-masked Parakeet, Parrot-billed Seedeater, Collared Warbling Finch, Tumbes Sparrow and Cinereous Finch. The weather was overcast and activity was low so we headed to Tinajones reservoir. En route we stopped for great looks at a pair of Peruvian Thick-knees and also found a pair of Pacific Pygmy RBT Northern Peru Trip Report September 2015 3 Owls. At the reservoir we found a good variety of wetland birds including Great Grebe, White- cheeked Pintail and Cocoi Heron. The shore held 2 Black-faced Ibis from the relict dry forest population that is now on the brink of extinction. We also saw 5 very distant Comb Ducks, while waders included Stilt and Pectoral Sandpipers, Whimbrel and Baird’s Sandpiper. In the open areas we found Short-tailed Field Tyrant and a Pearl Kite was seen well. On the way back to the lodge we found Necklaced Spinetail and Sulphur-throated Finch. In the afternoon we birded the trail in the valley and found a Grey-and-gold Warbler and a couple of Elegant Crescentchests, as well as Scarlet-backed and Golden-olive Woodpeckers. Before dinner we went owling and had great views of an adult Peruvian Screech Owl feeding a worm to a begging chick. White-winged Guan by Adam Riley Day 3: Casupe and Chaparri. We left early for the higher elevations near the village of Casupe. Here we enjoyed breakfast in the field while watching the localised Porculla Hermit (still considered a subspecies of Grey-chinned Hermit by some but gaining increasing, and deserved, acceptance as a valid species). During breakfast we also found both Three-banded Warbler and White-winged Brush Finch. After breakfast we enjoyed scope looks at Ecuadorian Trogon before heading up to the pass. We birded back down the road finding Black-capped Sparrow, Sooty-headed Flycatcher, Pacific Elaenia, Henna-hooded and Rufous-necked Foliage-gleaners, Black-cowled Saltator and Ecuadorian Piculet, amongst others. It was a very hot day so we headed back to Chaparri for lunch, stopping to watch 3 of the dark- headed local cassini Peregrines. In the afternoon we walked in search of Andean Tinamou but failed to find it, though we were rewarded with looks at both Variable Hawk and Black-chested Eagle, plus a huge flock of Chestnut- collared Swallows that were landing on trees and gleaning the leaves. RBT Northern Peru Trip Report September 2015 4 Day 4: To Bosque de Pomac and Salas Road. We started the day heading back to Tinajones reservoir where we caught up with great looks at a Spotted Rail and a male Black-lored Yellowthroat. Time was tight however as we had to head on to Bosque de Pomac before it got too hot. We arrived at Pomac and soon heard a Peruvian Plantcutter calling and were rewarded with scope views of a male and female. As we birded we found several endemic Rufous Flycatchers – the most distinctive of the Myiarchus and a rare species that continues to suffer from habitat loss and being persecuted for eating bees. We decided to check out one of the adobe pyramids of the Sican culture that are found in this protected area. These enormous mounds now look like eroded hills, but closer inspection shows they are made of adobe bricks (each uniquely marked by the family or community that contributed it). Here we caught up with better views of Coastal Miner before heading to a more open arid area where we found Tumbes Swallows. We then headed for lunch at a local restaurant before heading to our hotel. In the afternoon, in a pioneering frame of mind, Jean, Alec and Rob headed up the Salas road to see what we could find. It was quite quiet but a Bicoloured Hawk, a distant King Vulture and several Yellow-tailed Orioles were a reward. The rest of the group enjoyed relaxing at our delightful hotel. Peruvian Plantcutter by Adam Riley Day 5: Cerro Chalpon, Abra Porculla and to Jaen. We left early to reach Abra Porculla pass to search for several of the last Tumbesian endemics that we needed. We soon found the very localized Piura Chat-Tyrant and then a series of mixed species flocks containing a number of new birds, including Chapman’s Antshrike, Line-cheeked Spinetail, Cinereous Conebill and Bay-crowned Brush Finch. We also had great looks at several Rufous- RBT Northern Peru Trip Report September 2015 5 necked Foliage-gleaners. The open habitats held Band-tailed Seedeaters and Ash-breasted Sierra Finches. We left the Pacific slope having seen some 189 species. Crossing over to the east slope of the Andes, we headed down into the Marañon valley and drove to Jaen. A stop for gasoline added Purple-throated Euphonia and White-lined Tanager. Near the turn- off to Jaen we stopped and birded some arid scrub, finding our target Little Inca Finch quite quickly. We also saw the very different major subspecies of Tropical Gnatcatcher that occurs in the Marañon valley. We then headed into town for lunch at our hotel. In the afternoon we walked a nearby road, quickly getting superb views of 2 Marañon Crescentchests, often a hard bird to catch up with. We then had scope views of Marañon Thrush, Drab Seedeater and Purple-throated Euphonia. Two “Marañón” Northern Slaty Antshrikes came in well to playback and we had brief views of a Hook-billed Kite and a flyby Collared Forest Falcon. Marañon Crescentchest by Dubi Shapiro Day 6: Tamborapa and to Pomacochas. We rose early and headed north towards the Ecuadorean border with magnificent views towards the Cordillera del Cóndor. We arrived at Tamborapa for a packed breakfast at dawn as Tataupa Tinamous called. Birding the trail we found the endangered Marañon Spinetail after some effort, managing some views of this notorious skulker. We also caught up with the chinchipensis form of Necklaced Spinetail, which is often suggested to be a future split, Chinchipe Spinetail. We then headed on to the Utcubamba River canyon where we had lunch in the small town of Pedro Ruiz before travelling on to Pomacochas. In the late afternoon we birded the edge of the lake with RBT Northern Peru Trip Report September 2015 6 the highlight being 5 Andean Snipe. Day 7: Pomacochas and San Lorenzo trail. This morning we headed up the San Lorenzo trail with the goal of finding Pale-billed Antpitta. En route we had a good selection of birds, including Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia, as we climbed the stone trail.